Randy Hasso has lived and worked in suburban Saginaw almost all of his adult life. Over the course of almost 31 years, Randy has generously contributed his time, talents, resources, and treasures to the LGBTQIA and HIV/AIDS communities. In the early 1980s, Randy made and distributed 1,000 pins that honored seven Saginaw Valley men who died of AIDS. With other … Read More
Congressman Dan Kildee
Congressman Dan Kildee serves in the U.S. House of Representatives where he continues to work tirelessly for LGBTQIA people in Michigan’s 5th District and throughout the United States. Now in his second term, Mr. Kildee is the vice-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus in the House. In addition to meeting at Delta College with local LGBTQIA and political leaders, Mr. … Read More
David Custer
David Custer is the 5:30 p.m. news anchor at WNEM-TV 5 in Saginaw. David is an out and unapologetic gay man whose community activism and his media presence empower LGBTQIA people to live authentic lives. He recently shared his own traumatic life experiences with the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in the hopes of creating legislation to protect LGBTQIA youth. … Read More
Heather Avile
Heather Aviles is a Spanish Teacher at Midland High School, where three years ago she founded the A-Z Club, a very private organization that provided a safe space for LGBTQIA students who needed to protect their privacy. Currently, she is the adviser for the school’s GSA. This school year, Heather arranged for to have student members of the GSA walk … Read More
Jodi Liebmann
Jodi Liebmann is an out, loud and proud ally of the LGBTQIA community in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Through her tireless work with the Underground Railroad, she is a powerful advocate for the victims of sexual assault. He belief that people can accomplish all they have a mind to has helped change the lives of countless women and children … Read More
Brandon Errer
Brandon Errer is in his second year as president of Living Proud, the student-run LGBTQIA organization at Saginaw Valley State University. In the last year, Brandon helped convince SVSU’s Board of Control to change the school’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy to include sexual orientation. Brandon continues to advocate for a long overdue and much needed LGBTQIA resource center on cam-pus, … Read More
Cara Mitrano
Cara Mitrano is a senior at Midland High School, where she helped start the school’s GSA. The GSA’s advocacy work raised awareness of LGBTQ issues through numerous activities, including Asexual Awareness Week, Transgender Day of Remembrance, and faculty awareness training. Despite vandalism and bullying at Midland and H.H. Dow High Schools, Cara continued to display LGBT-affirming posters on her lockers. … Read More
Plant Fitness Midland
Plant Fitness, Midland, made national news when it defended the rights of a transgender woman who was a guest that came under attack for using the women’s locker room. The membership of the non-transgender woman who publicly protested, was revoked. Even when she filed a lawsuit against Planet Fitness, the company was resolute in its defense of its No Judgment … Read More